Postgame: Portland

When fans look back on tonight’s Crew game and see a 3-3 final score, they will note that the game was a draw and probably an exciting one at that.

Those who watched the game know the truth: the scoreboard showed a tie, but the feeling inside was that of a loss. After playing with a man advantage from the 34th minute on, the Crew twice allowed tying goals in the final 10 minutes to settle for the draw at Providence Park.

For the Crew, however, the final result matched the final feeling.

“It is a draw,” coach Gregg Berhalter said. “I think we’re disappointed that we didn’t get all three points but at the end of the day we got three goals and we should’ve had more. We’re obviously disappointed not to come home with all three.”

Added midfielder Wil Trapp, “I think it feels like a draw. I thought we played the first half well other than giving up the goal early. I thought we responded well, Pipa with the great chip and the PK late. I thought we controlled the game well, but in the second half in the first 20 minutes or so we had chances but then we just started to drop back and they were shelling us a little bit.

“It’s not ideal, especially with them having 10 men, but sometimes against 10 men it’s difficult. I thought we rallied well. Those dire moments at the end it was a little frustrating not to get the three points when we know we probably should’ve.”

The Crew’s winless streak is now eight games, the second-longest drought in history since the league did away with shutouts.

Goals forWhen the game ticked into the 14th minute, the Crew’s goalless streak of 334 minutes was one shy of Houston’s mark for the longest such drought in MLS this season.

Designated player Federico Higuain made sure that mark would remain property of the Dynamo. His beautiful chip soared over Portland goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts and into the back of the net for his team-leading fifth goal of the season and pulled the Crew even after allowing a fifth-minute goal.

It was the kind of play you’d expect a designated player to make.

“He did that, and that’s why he’s our guy,” Trapp said of Higuain. “He’s our big-time player and he steps up when we need him. That was huge to see today. I think it really settles the guys down as well. We get a little bit of confidence in our front four. Bernardo (Anor) when he came in hit a few shots and Ethan (Finlay) came in and scored. I think Higuain’s play in the first half opened the gate for them.”

Deep into first-half stoppage time, Higuain would add to his total with a penalty. When the Crew’s Giancarlo Gonzalez was tugged to the ground by a Portland defender on a corner kick, Higuain stepped up to take the ensuing penalty. He stuttered before firing low and to the left, beating Ricketts for the 10th penalty kick of his Crew career.

Higuain’s 22 career goals put him one behind Brian Maisonneuve for eighth-place in Crew history, and his six multi-goal games puts him in sole possession of fifth place.

“We need a lot of guys (to step up),” Berhalter said. “Federico’s the guy who is most able to do that because of his quality. He’s one of the most talented players in the league. He has that ability. The first goal was unbelievable but also his passing and how he opened it up and got other guys opportunities.”

Midfielder Hector Jimenez nearly put the Crew ahead 3-1 early in the second half, but his redirection of a Higuain lofted ball rang the post and ricocheted out of play. Ethan Finlay would score the Crew’s final goal, which also happened to be his first career goal following a number of near-misses. In the 81st minute, it looked to be the game-winner.

“Gregg and Josh (Wolff) told me when I came in there was a lot of space on this side,” Finlay said. “Pipa found me early. They’ve really been pushing me to attack late in the game. I tried to go at the guy, and cut inside my left. I tried to find the far post and got fortunate with the deflection. You take them if they’re pretty or ugly.”

The endPortland netted the final goal in the 85th minute on a free kick that was redirected inside the Crew’s box, where Gaston Fernandez tapped it home.

It came with a fair amount of controversy, though, as the assistant referee appeared to raise his flag to signal offside. Several Crew players confronted the referee along the sideline, where Trapp – making his debut as captain – had to work to diffuse the situation for a few of his teammates.

“Pipa was on a yellow card,” Trapp said. “We had some other guys that were walking a tightrope for yellow cards and I didn’t want a stupid red card for something as dumb as yelling at the referee. I wanted to be his first point of contact. They tend to get flustered when tons of guys are running out and screaming. I did my best to try and make light of the situation.”

Berhalter said he liked how Trapp handled the situation.

“He’s mature in that respect,” he said. “That was a very mature thing to do and handle it in the right way to be able to communicate with the referees. Overall I’m pleased with his performance.”

Once the fracas was sorted out, Trapp said he got an explanation from the referee.

“His explanation was the AR raised his flag to signal that the ball went in the goal,” Trapp said. “I don’t know. That’s what he said.”

ChangesThe losses of Michael Parkhurst and Waylon Francis to their respective national teams forced Berhalter to shuffle the lineup. Veteran Tyson Wahl made his first start and third appearance of the season in place of Parkhurst in the Crew’s central defense, while second-year homegrown player Chad Barson made his season debut at Francis’ vacated left back spot.

“It was great to get my first start of the year,” Barson said. “I feel like I’ve been prepared for this opportunity. You just always have to be ready. Guys that haven’t had a major role thus far into the season are going to need to be able to step into the game.”

Further up the field, a healthy Bernardo Anor was out of the starting lineup for the first time this season. He was replaced by Justin Meram, who also started for the Crew’s left midfielder when he served a one-game suspension.

Berhalter said the new lineup had little to do with the final result from a negative standpoint.

“It could be a timing issue, a rhythm issue, but Tyson and Chad played well,” he said. “They should be proud of how they came in and competed in this game. We’ll learn from those mistakes. I don’t think it’s something typical of us. We just have to be better and little bit looser in killing the game off.”

Tonight was the first time in Dominic Oduro’s Crew career that he did not see any action.